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A medium-size (3.5-4.3 cm wingspan) silky dark gray brown moth. The wings are unmarked except for a black point marking the orbicular, and a small dark bar, often reduced to two small spots, one above the other, marking the reniform. The veins are lined with dark scales, barely discernable against the dark ground. The hindwings are lighter sooty brown, darkening toward the margin. The antennae are simple and the sexes are alike. The three dark dots on the otherwise essentially unmarked forewing will usually identify tragopoginis. The similar Graphiphora augur flies at the same time, but is larger and has the postmedian line at least partly visible.

Eastern North America, from Newfoundland south to Pennsylvania, west to the Mississippi River. In the west, widespread in BC, and east to central Alberta (Edmonton). Also in the Palaearctic. Possibly introduced to North America.